Samsung SGH-Z540

By Antonio Tan, CNET Asia
Nov 15, 2006

Samsung phones have lately been hogging the headlines. But it's not for its 10-megapixel camera-phone or 8GB hard drive music handset. Instead, it's for the company's impressive portfolio of super-slim mobiles. And one of them is the SGH-Z540. Though not as skinny as the Ultra Edition 9.9, the Z540 remains one of the Korean firm's thinnest 3G clamshells to date (at least until the upcoming Ultra Edition 11.8 debuts). Its key features include a large 2.3-inch LCD screen, dual cameras and speakers, and audio player with external music keys. The Z540 is now available in stores at S$540 (US$383.41) without contract and S$198 (US$140.59) when purchased with a two-year mobile plan.

Design
It's not hard to see why the SGH-Z540 will be popular among the style-conscious. Its slim case comes in an attractive jet black with a matte finish that won't leave oily smudges or fingerprints. The phone's simplistic design also exudes minimalism with a touch of class. At 99 x 50.5 x 14.9mm, the Z540 is not the smallest of handsets, but its slim and wide body makes it ideal for slipping into pockets and handbags.

Like most clamshells, the Z540 comes with two screens. The internal display is a QVGA screen capable of showing up to 262K colors, while the smaller external panel supports 65K colors. Powering on the unit, we were instantly drawn to the internal 2.3 inch-wide panel for its impressive visual clarity, vibrant colors and wide viewing angle. It also comes with adjustable brightness settings for optimal viewing in bright daylight conditions. Oddly, the screen leaves lines of discoloration when we press on it, but that's just temporary.

The external display is, in actual fact, made up of two panels. The top portion is a monochrome screen used for displaying icons and a digital clock, while the lower two-thirds of the display estate is a color TFT which can be employed as a viewfinder in camera mode as well as to display wallpapers. Interestingly, this arrangement ensures that the monochrome display is visible under strong sunlight and, at the same time, consumes less power.

The Z540 comes equipped with two cameras: A 1.3-megapixel shooter on the outside just above the external display and a VGA one below the internal screen. Both cameras can be used for taking pictures and making 3G video calls. We can't help noticing that there is no lens cover for the external camera to protect it from scratches and dust. And it doesn't help that the camera lens is slightly elevated from the front face of the phone, thereby exposing it further. We admit it's not a big deal, but it is a minor design flaw nonetheless.

Despite its slim design, the Samsung clamshell remains ergonomically sound with rounded edges that give a good feel of the phone. When flipped open, the handset locks into position at an optimum angle such that it follows the contours of the face nicely for a comfortable holding position. We found that because the phone's earpiece and microphone can be held closer to the user, voice calls tend to be clearer for both parties.

Unlike the Ultra Edition 9.9, the keypad provides a reasonable amount of tactile feedback. We like the large and well-spaced buttons, but touch-typing on this keypad can be quite a challenge since the number keys on each row are lumped into one big button. In addition to the usual navigation and call buttons, Samsung has added two extra buttons in the keypad. One is for accessing the shortcut menu and the other for making 3G video calls. You also get a volume rocker on the left edge and camera button on the opposite side.

In keeping with the whole minimalist concept, Samsung has provided just one proprietary port on the Z540 which multitasks as a connector for charging, USB data transfer and the headset. The good news is that cables/adapters for all functions are provided in the bundle. The bad news is since there is only one port you will be restricted to using just one of the functions at any one time.

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